River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-22

How dare you'll hate YOU, DR. Blake, $
she impetuously cred, in the same breath
And wIenching herself from his OBTAINING
grasp, Doris. hiding her hot face in her
hands. burst into an agony of weeping.
Well would dismaycd DR. Blake have de
sired TO kiss away her tears, as when Doris
was tiny maiden But-she hated him;
that settled IL Exhaling a sigh. which
seemed TO come from his boOt-soies, the
doctor turned, and made his way hastily
downstairs Doris waited till the echo Of
his foo steps had died away; then, drying
her eyes on diminutive handkerchief, she
stamped her small foot with considerable
energy.
Il am nothing but a young tool" she
said, with an unconscious echo of a similar
admission on DIR, Blake's part a little be-
fore. The adjsctives only being changed
Removing the cloth from the paTtly-com-
pleted portrait, Doris seized her palette
and with the ghost of tender smile on her
quivering lips fell 10 painting with nervous
has-e
Il must finish il before New Years. she
said TO herself And resoiutely crowding
down her emotions, Doris worked steadily
till dinner time
To her relief DR. Blake was absent max
ing his professional round Mrs Mack
glanced at the traces of recent tears on
Doris pale cheek with ill-cOncealed tri-
umph as the young girl, bend .ng over her
place, made pretense of eating
-Ihe Doctor says you're tn mixing of leav-
ing us, F." smoothly remark I'll the widow, after
vaiuly waiting for Doris TO break the
silence.
aYes,H was the coldly monosyllabio reply.
Swell. may be its for the best, responded
Mrs Mack, steadily eyeing her shrinking
victim, for naturally you don't feel like
being beholden to any one lOnger'n You can
help, though as Paul. mean the Doctor
says he d dn't mind The extra expense while
he was SINGLE with only himself 10 care for
But now. why"
Here Mrs Mack checked herself and coyly
dropped her eyes 10 the table cloth, "a corner
OF which she was plating between her
fingers IN seeming confusion
Neither Dr. Bake or yourself need fear
being burdened with me much longer, re-
piled Doris, with quiet soon And as she
rose and left the room, Mrs Mack smiled
unpleasanuv.
One of US win leave, Tut It won't be
Altnea Mack, she remarked. in triumphant
confidence, TO herself Bu5 this remains to
be seen.
Slowly the old year dragged his tagging
footsteps toward the portal where the New
Year child stood impaUienGy awaiting the
departure of mis- near.y wOrn-out pred
ecessOr. Doris, cold and silent, saw but
little of her guardian, who far graver and
more pre-Oecupied than was his wont,
silently noted the frequent comIngs and
gOngs of his nephew, VINO a S far as possible
seemed TO shr.nK from an interview.
DR.. Blake waited from lay 10 day with a
VAN hope that Doris might come TO him
with her confidence rs in other days But
the young RI panied steadily at the un-
finished porIrait for which 49, according to
Mrs Mack-hls nephew Pa. was ''se.tin,"
and Dr. Blake never again intruded himself
ON their presence.
IL was the last evening of the old year
DR. Blake, thoroughly tired out by an un-
usually hard days WORK. was sitting in his
office library looking absentiy into the open
fireplace where the flames were dancing a
weird measure in fantastic time to the voice
of the win,er wind in the old-fashiOned,
wide-mouthed chimney.
Bob, the office boy, stood in a back ground
of shadow awaiting the Doctors commands
for the morrow, vaguely wondering what
had come over his usually genial employer
of late.
MAY be it's as folks says-that Mis-
Mack's bound to marry him whether he's
within or not, soliloquized Bob: -and Ii he's
afea'rd of that, don't wonder he's down in
the mouth.
But all unconscious OF his Office bows
anxiety in his behaf, Dr. Blake sat with
half-clOsed eyes in the semi Obscurity, for j
pinhead of flame from gas jet at the rear
and the blaze OF the wood fire Itself alone
relieved the darkness of the room.
rustic as of a woman's dress caused the
Doctor TO give a sudden stlrtl At last Doris
had come
Dreaming of your lady love, DOCTOR"
Alas the voice, Stimulating an archness en-
TREY foreign 10 the speaker, was that of
Mrs Mack, wIo, arrayed as for conquest. cd
vanced INFO the circle Of freight and care
Iessly placed a rather shapely foot on the
fender
We'll, yes, 4 was tine absent reply For
DR. Blake, who, in addition to an unusually
laborious day, had been up with danger
Gus case nearly all the night before, was in
that curious state between waking and
when men see visions and dream
dreams, yet are perfectly conscious as to
what is going on about them.
Mrs Mack sighed sOfGly and drew little
nearer. In the subdusd glow OF the fire
light, which, so TO speak, toned down the
was looking at her besJ, and DR. Blake
glanced upward at her with something like
friendly admiration. vaguely thinking that
mis- housekeep was by no means bad
looking woman.
Something in Dr. Blake's voice aud man
ner caused the fossil remains Of an organ
Mrs. Mack was pleased to designate as her
heart, to give a duh thrOb. She had read OF
masculine hearts caught at the rebound
By this time DR. Blake knew that h S case
was hopeless with the chit of q girl be had
been temporarily infatuated should she
strike while the iron was hOtf
When Miss Doris and yOuT nephew are
married YOU and / Doctor viii be LETT quite
alone - said Mrs Mack, with tel der look,
which was ent rely lost o. tSc y Octor. who !
had subsidized into his - king slumber IS
in V sion he again saw Doris deep eyes |
lock ng into his own with the strange in |
tensity which once before had thrilled him |
through and through And, extending his !
arms. DR.. Blake said, aloud:
my darling come.
Mrs Mack saw no vision The oatstretched /
arms were joyful reality So also was |
the tender invitation; and without an in
slant Of delay she literally fell on tie /
Doctors neck, about hich her arms 4
clasped themselves with considerable t. /
nae ".
sP-Paul, she sobbed, hystenclliy, -noss 4
shall never leave you-neveT," and chung /
the tighter 70 the scarcely awakened doe /
Tor - Bob. thinking matters had gone quite /
FIR enough. suddenly turned up the gas,
No y Doris had chosen that evening 10 tell /
ler guardian Of her future plans Perhaps,
100. she IN ghs learn from his own lips that
here was some mistake as to his matri- /
nonial intentions
Her foot was on the library threshold a. 4
Bob threw the glow Of eaSlight on the in /
ieresting tableaa / have Just mentioned 4
and casting ore glance thereat, Doris II q !
lp-staIrs TO her room. But hid sue fingered /
moment, Doris would have heard Dr. I
Blake utter something alia 70 mid prOfan- /
". and seen him rise 70 his feet so suddenly
IS 70 nearly IsFeeipitate the ciing ing wi..ow I
,yeg hassOekl
Mrs Mack" he sternIy exoiaimed. but the 4
ady, forcibly oy ercogEae by a sense OF maid
snly modesty. bad fed
And aiss Doris see il aIiiH said Rob in 4
sadibls sOi3Oquy. as he stood staring in q /
LACED sort Of way at the open door
go TO bed. Bob, sharply commanded DR.. ]
Blake, IN great perturbation OF spirit What /
ossfd he have said or done in his dreamy /
distraction that Mrs Mack, who was the |
pink OF propriesy, should have th.Own her /
elf into his armss Good Heavens. what a 4
errible situationl Come what might be |
you'd see Doris the first thing in the mora
ne and explain 1t.